Heinz Sauer Quartet's Isolation Row from 1978

Another wishlist rarity bites the dust...  although not all that expensive, unlike for example German Nimbus.

Those were the days when they cared about cover art, what is usually treated as a joke or afterthought today.  The photo is not so much to speak of but really drags my eyes back over and again due to its unusual but pleasantly mysterious composition. Information on this album which is your basic avant-garde acoustic/slightly electrified jazz-fusion quartet jazz along the lines of Herbert Joos (but not as good, mind you) or his band Part of Art that I loved so much, is in the database here.

The quartet comprises:

Bob Degen: piano
Joe Nay: drums
Adelhard Roidinger: bass
Heinz Sauer: tenor sax

Remember Roidinger? He was in Austria Drei here before and the ECM Schattseite, but clearly his most successful achievement is the computer jazz project (posted in the former's comments section).

Here's a track with the highly ECMish title called "Phrenie's Window Dance:"





I suppose the next album, Metal Blossoms, by Sauer from 1984 looks interesting, anyone know anything?

1980's Austria Drei and Roidinger's Computer and Jazz Project I from 1984

This is again clearly and cleanly in the ECM tradition of emotional and intellectual jazz.  But it's very good.  Here is the information, as usual.  I think on this record everything came together beautifully for these talented musicians and with this entry we will depart from gorgeous alpine Austria for other countries to explore....

Finally mention should be made of the fantastic album Roidinger made later with electronics and his bass:

Adelhard Roidinger's Schattseite from 1981

Information here.  This is relatively acoustic, ECM styled mental and emotional jazz with that typical meandering thoughtfulness that is their modus operandi.

With regards to this bassist, I want to pre-mention a wonderfully progressive and brilliantly composed record that will be coming here shortly called Austria Drei in which he participated, coming out in the year 1980 which was so fecund for the European jazz and progressive scene.  I'll post that one in a bit, after also presenting Pirchner and Pepl (guitar and vibes players on the Austria Drei record) in another highly intellectual album they did called, beautifully, "The Loss." 
Stay Tuned!